Today we got a myriad of news regarding the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter, set to open at Universal Studios Orlando in Spring 2010.
During a conference call with Thierry Coup, vice president of creative development for Universal Creative, Feltbeats.com and other Harry Potter fan sites learned new and exciting details about the park.
There is still no opening date set for the public as of yet, but we should know more details soon. The WWoHP is close to finished with just the final layers and layers of details remaining. The structures are 90% finished and lean slightly as though they have been a part of the landscape for years and years.
The entire crew at Leavesden has been involved in the creation of the park. All of the iconic rooms in Hogwarts, The Common Room, Dark Arts Classroom, Great Hall, and Dumbledore’s office are built to full scale.
They wanted to create exact replicas of the shops in Hogsmeade from the movies. Visitors will feel as though they are visiting The three Broomsticks, Zonko’s and Honeydukes from the movies. They were also able to secure many props from the sets to make the experience more realistic. Any props that they were not able to attain the had replicated by the prop makers from the movies.
The big news was the new details regarding Ollivanders. When you visit Ollivanders it will be a completely immersive experience. You will be greeted by a wand keeper and he will take you through the process of choosing you wand…..or should I say, the wand choosing you! Wand boxes will line the walls, floor to ceiling 30 feet high! Each visitor will be asked questions such as their birthdate, and based on the Celtic calender, a wand will be chosen. For each wand that doesn’t choose you, magical misshaps will happen such as flowers wilting, and thunder and lightening. There will be different effects for each person based on their answers. When you have found the right wand, there will be glowing and music just like the movie. Stuart Craig and JK Rowling wanted to create an authentic experience to mirror Harry’s own in the movies. Each experience will take approximately 2 to 5 minutes. For the younger kids, they will be able to build their own wands!
The wands to be fitted, are unique to Ollivanders and were designed by Stuart Craig. They are made from 13 different types of wood. The Noble Collection of wands will also be available for purchase. Visitors are under no obligation to purchase the wand they are fitted for.
Here is an excerpt from the official press release from Universal regarding Ollivanders, including a new video interview featuring Tom, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.
Visitors to the Ollivanders wand shop at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will step into one of the most iconic scenes from the bestselling HarryPotter books and blockbuster feature films. With the assistance of a live actor, along with amazing special effects, guests of Ollivanders will get to experience the same type of magical moment Harry had in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” when a wand ”chooses them.”
Universal Orlando Resort has worked closely with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Harry Potter brand team to make this moment as authentic, magical and immersive as possible for guests – a theme carried throughout the entire experience at of Harry Potter. “When guests visit Ollivanders, they will instantly feel like they’re in the shop from the films. It’s an intimate, single-windowed building, with the same signs, colors and other details read about in the books and seen in the films,” said Alan Gilmore, art director of the Harry Potter will experience for themselves the magical moment that forever changed Harry’s life.”
Inside Ollivanders, visitors will be surrounded by thousands of multi-colored dusty wand boxes stacked on shelves from floor to ceiling. They will be welcomed by an inquisitive Wandkeeper, who will guide them through an enchanting experience to find their very own wand. First the Wandkeeper will ask the guest a few special questions and then select the first wand for them to try. Just like Harry, the guest will be prompted by the Wandkeeper to give the wand a wave, and a series of magical mishaps will occur until the right fit is found. In addition to the magic featured in Ollivanders, a Howler will be featured in the Owl Posts front window whose ranting can be heard by guests who pass by. In Dervish and Bangs, The Monster Book Of Monsters that will snarl and growl at visitors who get too close and the Hogs Head which can be seen puffing his jowls at visitors who enter the Hog’s Head Pub. Don’t forget to also pick up today’s copy of USA Today to experience a 3-d never before seen view of The WWoHP through the use of Augmented Reality.
Today, Universal Orlando Resort and USA Today newspaper, partnered to provide the first-ever augmented reality. With just a computer, webcam and the newspaper, you can make this one-of-a-kind experience appear before your very eyes. Augmented Reality blends real-life environments with computer animation allowing you to explore things in a completely new way. For the first time, guests can explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. By rotating the map, you can take a closer look at this 20-acre magnificently themed environment from all sides and angles. Hogwarts castle will appear before your eyes. Hold the map closer to your webcam and explore Hogsmeade and see the Hogwarts Express. Blow on your computer’s microphone and the banners on the map will wave. You can watch an instructional video here at USA Today.
Check back with Feltbeats.com for news on the opening of this amazing park!
